diff --git a/src/evaluate.cpp b/src/evaluate.cpp
index 884b1d85..11a6fa27 100644
--- a/src/evaluate.cpp
+++ b/src/evaluate.cpp
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ namespace {
           : Pt ==   ROOK ? attacks_bb<  ROOK>(s, pos.pieces() ^ pos.pieces(QUEEN) ^ pos.pieces(Us, ROOK))
                          : pos.attacks_from<Pt>(s);
 
-        if (pos.pinned_pieces(Us) & s)
+        if (pos.blockers_for_king(Us) & s)
             b &= LineBB[pos.square<KING>(Us)][s];
 
         attackedBy2[Us] |= attackedBy[Us][ALL_PIECES] & b;
@@ -392,8 +392,8 @@ namespace {
         if (Pt == QUEEN)
         {
             // Penalty if any relative pin or discovered attack against the queen
-            Bitboard pinners;
-            if (pos.slider_blockers(pos.pieces(Them, ROOK, BISHOP), s, pinners))
+            Bitboard queenPinners;
+            if (pos.slider_blockers(pos.pieces(Them, ROOK, BISHOP), s, queenPinners))
                 score -= WeakQueen;
         }
     }
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ namespace {
                                        : AllSquares ^ Rank1BB ^ Rank2BB ^ Rank3BB);
 
     const Square ksq = pos.square<KING>(Us);
-    Bitboard weak, b, b1, b2, safe, unsafeChecks;
+    Bitboard weak, b, b1, b2, safe, unsafeChecks, pinned;
 
     // King shelter and enemy pawns storm
     Score score = pe->king_safety<Us>(pos, ksq);
@@ -464,11 +464,12 @@ namespace {
         // Unsafe or occupied checking squares will also be considered, as long as
         // the square is in the attacker's mobility area.
         unsafeChecks &= mobilityArea[Them];
+        pinned = pos.blockers_for_king(Us) & pos.pieces(Us);
 
         kingDanger +=        kingAttackersCount[Them] * kingAttackersWeight[Them]
                      + 102 * kingAdjacentZoneAttacksCount[Them]
                      + 191 * popcount(kingRing[Us] & weak)
-                     + 143 * popcount(pos.pinned_pieces(Us) | unsafeChecks)
+                     + 143 * popcount(pinned | unsafeChecks)
                      - 848 * !pos.count<QUEEN>(Them)
                      -   9 * mg_value(score) / 8
                      +  40;
diff --git a/src/movegen.cpp b/src/movegen.cpp
index 14f30ea0..cb221d95 100644
--- a/src/movegen.cpp
+++ b/src/movegen.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ namespace {
             // if the pawn is not on the same file as the enemy king, because we
             // don't generate captures. Note that a possible discovery check
             // promotion has been already generated amongst the captures.
-            Bitboard dcCandidates = pos.discovered_check_candidates();
+            Bitboard dcCandidates = pos.blockers_for_king(Them);
             if (pawnsNotOn7 & dcCandidates)
             {
                 Bitboard dc1 = shift<Up>(pawnsNotOn7 & dcCandidates) & emptySquares & ~file_bb(ksq);
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ namespace {
                 && !(PseudoAttacks[Pt][from] & target & pos.check_squares(Pt)))
                 continue;
 
-            if (pos.discovered_check_candidates() & from)
+            if (pos.blockers_for_king(~us) & from)
                 continue;
         }
 
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ ExtMove* generate<QUIET_CHECKS>(const Position& pos, ExtMove* moveList) {
   assert(!pos.checkers());
 
   Color us = pos.side_to_move();
-  Bitboard dc = pos.discovered_check_candidates();
+  Bitboard dc = pos.blockers_for_king(~us) & pos.pieces(us);
 
   while (dc)
   {
@@ -403,8 +403,9 @@ ExtMove* generate<EVASIONS>(const Position& pos, ExtMove* moveList) {
 template<>
 ExtMove* generate<LEGAL>(const Position& pos, ExtMove* moveList) {
 
-  Bitboard pinned = pos.pinned_pieces(pos.side_to_move());
-  Square ksq = pos.square<KING>(pos.side_to_move());
+  Color us = pos.side_to_move();
+  Bitboard pinned = pos.blockers_for_king(us) & pos.pieces(us);
+  Square ksq = pos.square<KING>(us);
   ExtMove* cur = moveList;
 
   moveList = pos.checkers() ? generate<EVASIONS    >(pos, moveList)
diff --git a/src/position.cpp b/src/position.cpp
index fdae0ae0..d48ec18c 100644
--- a/src/position.cpp
+++ b/src/position.cpp
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ const string Position::fen() const {
 
 Bitboard Position::slider_blockers(Bitboard sliders, Square s, Bitboard& pinners) const {
 
-  Bitboard result = 0;
+  Bitboard blockers = 0;
   pinners = 0;
 
   // Snipers are sliders that attack 's' when a piece is removed
@@ -476,14 +476,14 @@ Bitboard Position::slider_blockers(Bitboard sliders, Square s, Bitboard& pinners
     Square sniperSq = pop_lsb(&snipers);
     Bitboard b = between_bb(s, sniperSq) & pieces();
 
-    if (!more_than_one(b))
+    if (b && !more_than_one(b))
     {
-        result |= b;
+        blockers |= b;
         if (b & pieces(color_of(piece_on(s))))
             pinners |= sniperSq;
     }
   }
-  return result;
+  return blockers;
 }
 
 
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ bool Position::legal(Move m) const {
 
   // A non-king move is legal if and only if it is not pinned or it
   // is moving along the ray towards or away from the king.
-  return   !(pinned_pieces(us) & from)
+  return   !(blockers_for_king(us) & from)
         ||  aligned(from, to_sq(m), square<KING>(us));
 }
 
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ bool Position::gives_check(Move m) const {
       return true;
 
   // Is there a discovered check?
-  if (   (discovered_check_candidates() & from)
+  if (   (st->blockersForKing[~sideToMove] & from)
       && !aligned(from, to, square<KING>(~sideToMove)))
       return true;
 
diff --git a/src/position.h b/src/position.h
index 34e2f7ee..18c783f0 100644
--- a/src/position.h
+++ b/src/position.h
@@ -105,8 +105,7 @@ public:
 
   // Checking
   Bitboard checkers() const;
-  Bitboard discovered_check_candidates() const;
-  Bitboard pinned_pieces(Color c) const;
+  Bitboard blockers_for_king(Color c) const;
   Bitboard check_squares(PieceType pt) const;
 
   // Attacks to/from a given square
@@ -296,12 +295,8 @@ inline Bitboard Position::checkers() const {
   return st->checkersBB;
 }
 
-inline Bitboard Position::discovered_check_candidates() const {
-  return st->blockersForKing[~sideToMove] & pieces(sideToMove);
-}
-
-inline Bitboard Position::pinned_pieces(Color c) const {
-  return st->blockersForKing[c] & pieces(c);
+inline Bitboard Position::blockers_for_king(Color c) const {
+  return st->blockersForKing[c];
 }
 
 inline Bitboard Position::check_squares(PieceType pt) const {
diff --git a/src/search.cpp b/src/search.cpp
index ca5a107e..394f228f 100644
--- a/src/search.cpp
+++ b/src/search.cpp
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ namespace {
   void update_quiet_stats(const Position& pos, Stack* ss, Move move, Move* quiets, int quietsCnt, int bonus);
   void update_capture_stats(const Position& pos, Move move, Move* captures, int captureCnt, int bonus);
 
+  inline bool gives_check(const Position& pos, Move move) {
+    Color us = pos.side_to_move();
+    return  type_of(move) == NORMAL && !(pos.blockers_for_king(~us) & pos.pieces(us))
+          ? pos.check_squares(type_of(pos.moved_piece(move))) & to_sq(move)
+          : pos.gives_check(move);
+  }
+
   // perft() is our utility to verify move generation. All the leaf nodes up
   // to the given depth are generated and counted, and the sum is returned.
   template<bool Root>
@@ -823,10 +830,7 @@ moves_loop: // When in check, search starts from here
       extension = DEPTH_ZERO;
       captureOrPromotion = pos.capture_or_promotion(move);
       movedPiece = pos.moved_piece(move);
-
-      givesCheck =  type_of(move) == NORMAL && !pos.discovered_check_candidates()
-                  ? pos.check_squares(type_of(movedPiece)) & to_sq(move)
-                  : pos.gives_check(move);
+      givesCheck = gives_check(pos, move);
 
       moveCountPruning =   depth < 16 * ONE_PLY
                         && moveCount >= FutilityMoveCounts[improving][depth / ONE_PLY];
@@ -1238,9 +1242,7 @@ moves_loop: // When in check, search starts from here
     {
       assert(is_ok(move));
 
-      givesCheck =  type_of(move) == NORMAL && !pos.discovered_check_candidates()
-                  ? pos.check_squares(type_of(pos.moved_piece(move))) & to_sq(move)
-                  : pos.gives_check(move);
+      givesCheck = gives_check(pos, move);
 
       moveCount++;